As we head into February, the next big holiday is on people's minds: Valentine's Day. Whether you love it or hate, you'll be surrounded by all things heart-shaped, pink and red for the next few weeks. But with a staggering 63% of people who celebrate Valentine's Day saying they would rather stay in this year rather than go out, decorative lighting specialist, Festive Lights, decided to find out why people are opting to stay in, in 2018. The day having become too commercial, high prices and busy restaurants were just some of the most common reasons.

So, for those who would prefer to stay in to celebrate Valentine's Day, Festive Lights gave us these handy tips to make your home feel warm and cosy without breaking the bank or becoming a slave to the commercialism of the day:

• Line up lanterns along the path way leading to the front door of your house so that your partner will come home to a romantic surprise.
• Cook a homemade meal with all your favourite trimmings then improvise on the table décor with fairy lights.
• Create a cosy Scandinavian “hygge” environment with warm chunky knit blankets and a cup of hot chocolate, turn the lights down low, set out some LED flickering candles and put on your favourite film.
• Any room of the house can be transformed to a Valentine's theme using fairy lights, rose petals and a little bit of attention.
• Instead of buying each other meaningless gifts, spend money on an experience together: book a trip somewhere you've always wanted to go; tick something off your bucket list; or make that experience some time at home crafting homemade décor for your Valentine's night in.

Stephen Alty, General Manager at Festive Lights, said: “We weren't surprised to find that people prefer to stay at home rather than go out and spend money at Valentine's Day. We've noticed a trend in recent years towards people creating a cosy environment in their own homes using good food and romantic lighting and spending their evening focusing on each other. We hope that our tips will be useful to those wanting to get ideas about how to show their appreciation to their loved one without breaking the bank.”

So whatever the weather this cold winter February, stay inside and spread the love in your home.